Stay Motivated to Work Out in the Winter

The chill-you-to-the-bones weather left ice sticking to your hair and coat, you almost slipped and fell while scraping snow off your car, and that was only after you managed to pry the frozen car doors open.

You're exhausted from a full day at work or with the kids, it's as dark as midnight, and it's only 4:30 pm. Slippers, hot cocoa and comfort food are calling your name and you'd only consider going to the gym if someone paid you.

When I was living in Syracuse, NY these were the reasons I became a certified group fitness instructor.  I realized I would only go if someone paid me and I had 20 workout "buddies" waiting for me to show up and teach.

You might not need to go to such extremes, though, if you try five of my other tricks to fight winter fitness roadblocks:

1. Make yourself an upbeat iPod play-list or CD and dance around as you straighten up at home; find a hip-hop or African dance class at the gym; learn to bellydance at an adult education class or at the Y; plan a girls' night out dancing.
2. Hire a personal trainer if you have the money. If not, many gyms also offer free training sessions with a new membership. You'll learn some new moves and if you have to meet someone for a planned session, you're more likely to show up.
3. Heat yourself up by staying inside with a new fitness DVD (like my Military Wife Workout DVDs) or the fitness channel on TV. Just hit play and before you know it you'll be done.
4. If you're not up to a rigorous workout, yoga is as easy as rolling out your mat, or slipping on your "yoga paws" (a travel set of yoga gloves for hands and feet). You will warm up, get blood flowing and ease stress.
5. Get a slow-cooker/crock pot for hearty, veggie-heavy meals with  minimal preparation and dishes.

If these don't work, give a friend 50 dollars and have them hold it for a week. You only get the money back, in 10 dollar increments, when  you go to the gym. Sometimes you just need the cold hard cash for cold dark days.

Fitness - Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Comments

[#1 Posted by: Sandra Gutierrez (exe. dir.)]

Hello this message is for NIKKIFITNESS , my name is Sandra Gutierrez I am the executive director of the G I Jane to BASE Foundation in Southern California were are currently seeking a personal workout trainer to donate there time for a very worthy cause . You see G I Jane was formed in Nov 2008 , were are for Military Veteran Women who are breast cancer survivors (hence that is what the BASE stands for) Breast Awareness Support & Education ! We realize you are in Manhattan , perhaps you can recommend us to someone here in California that would be willing to donate there efforts and expertise as well as ehance there career for a worth cause. If you know of someone please feel free to email us @ gijanefoundation@yahoo.com

Respectfully
Sandra Gutierrez
GIJtBF/e.d